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Students can receive a 10% discount by showing their Royal ID at downtown stores like New Laundry on Spruce Street. “Shop Scranton, Shop Local” encourages students to support downtown Scranton businesses for their holiday shopping, while reducing their carbon footprint.
Digital image (K Dombroski)

Kari Dombroski ’13, Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J., is a communication major at The University of Scranton.

This holiday season The University of Scranton is encouraging its students to go green when they do their holiday shopping by staying downtown.
Through a new “Shop Scranton, Shop Local” initiative, students can support downtown Scranton businesses and find unique gifts – while reducing their carbon footprint.
“There are so many distinctive shops downtown that offer gifts you can’t find anywhere else and patronizing these stores is a great way to support the city of Scranton,” said Julie Schumacher Cohen, director of the Office of Community Relations at The University of Scranton. “Walking downtown to shop is also a great way to cut down on driving, reduce gas costs and avoid parking congestion.”
According to Cohen, Shop Scranton, Shop Local showcases “the variety of merchandise available downtown, including eco-friendly gifts, unique costume jewelry and handbags, contemporary and vintage men and women’s clothing, gourmet chocolates, comic books, eclectic home décor and more.”
“Students can also take advantage of special discounts,” Cohen added, explaining that through the “Show it, Save it” program coordinated by Scranton Tomorrow, students can receive a 10% discount by showing their Royal ID.
Cohen also said that Shop Scranton, Shop Local allows students to check-in at participating venues using Foursquare, show the screen at the front desk, and be entered to win a $25 gift certificate to The Mall at Steamtown.
Participating retail stores downtown include: Bella Faccias, Chocolate Creations, Comics on the Green, Crazy Pineapple, Duffy Accessories, EP Fashion, Fanciful Fox, Greenbeing, New Laundry, New Visions Studio & Gallery, Now Hair Studio, Pierre’s, Plotkin’s Red Wing Shoes, Tuck’s Army & Navy, and select stores at The Mall at Steamtown. The independent retailers downtown are open evening shopping hours on Thursday and are planning special downtown holiday events. Through December, the Office of Community Relations’ Facebook page (facebook.com/uscrantoncommunityrelations) will highlight Scranton events and specials offered by participating retail shops.
Also being featured through the Shop Scranton, Shop Local initiative is a new game called “Scranton-opoly.” This gift is a customized Monopoly-styled board game developed by Scranton Tomorrow and One Point office supply company. Scranton-opoly will be available in the University’s bookstore and through www.efollett.com for $20. Sales will benefit Scranton Tomorrow’s economic development projects.
Shop Scranton, Shop Local is a project of the Office of Community Relations, Center for Student Engagement, Kania School of Management, The University of Scranton Small Business Development Center, Student Government, Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), Sustainability Taskforce and Scranton Tomorrow. Shop Scranton, Shop Local’s media partner is the University’s student newspaper, The Aquinas.
Walking maps of downtown Scranton are available at the Student Government Office in the DeNaples Center.
For more information about Shop Scranton, Shop Local, visit www.scranton.edu/shoplocal.